Strip guide for rolling mills



July 4,1939. c. J. KLEIN STRIP GUIDE FOR ROLLING MILLS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1936 lNVENTOR Cla Fenced. Klein July 4, 1939. c. J. KLEIN 2,165,104

STRIP GUIDE-FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Ft INVENTOR I Clarence J./f1ein July 4, 1939. c. J. KLEIN 2,165,104

STRIP GUIDE FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR been made a part of the mill or so designed Patented July 4, 1939 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,165,104 STRIP GUIDE FOR. ROLLING MILLS Clarence J. Klein, Steubenville, Ohio Application December 16, 1936, Serial No. 116,228

22 Claims.

My invention pertains generally to strip guide for rolling mills, and more particularly to apparatus for guiding material such as sheets, strip and the like into the working rolls of a rolling mill.

In sheet and strip rolling. mill practice, it is common practice to provide entry guides or feeding apparatus to straighten the stock and smooth out incipient kinks or folds therein, just before the stock is delivered to the mill, to insure that the strip or sheet will be positively fed into the roll pass and to maintain a desirable tension on the stock while it is being rolled.

As heretofore constructed, entry guides have as to require a considerable length of time to remove the guides when certain adjusting and repairing operations are to be done to the mill machinery. Also, such entry guides have not been readily adjustable to take care of the various conditions encountered in the operation of a rolling mill, nor can they be quickly and satisfactorily adjusted to the various widths of stock to be rolled. lhe result was that considerable periods of time and unnecessary labor were expended in nonproductive effort, and especially when'the strip or sheet was being threaded through the guide mechanism and into the mill.

By my invention I provide apparatus which is readily placed in operating position with respect to the mill and which may be readilymoved out of the way when repairs and adjustments are to be made, thus reducing the lost operating time of the mill to a minimum. My guide is of simple and sturdy construction and is readily adjustable for various heights of the pass. The mill equipment above the pass line is readily accessible, thus contributing to the ease of adjustment and repair of. the mill. It is comparatively inexpensive, and convenient and easy to operate. The guide surfaces or guide boards in contact with the strip are quickly replaceable and the structure is such as .to increase the production of a mill with which it is used, as compared with prior practice. The portion of the guide mechanism in contact with the upper part of the strip is moved into and out of position by means of linkage which is positive in operation and which occupies but little of the space between the mill housings. This enables the operator to use the mill for rolling strip to the full operating width of the mill.

The apparatus in general consists of a platform or table with removable facing strips or guide boards, a movable platen having removable facings strips cooperating therewith, linkage for moving the platen into and out of engagement with the table, means for operating said linkage, means for adjusting the height of the table, and means for moving the apparatus as a whole into 5 and out of operating position with respect to the mill with which it is associated.

The facing strips or guide boards are so secured to the guide mechanism that they may be readily inserted and removed when occasion de- 10 mands. The upper portion of the guide mechanism can be quickly and positively moved out of engagement with the strip to a suflicient distance to permit the workmen to perform their duties, so that the strip may be speedily inserted be- 16 tween the rolls. The upper portion of the guide mechanism can then be quickly moved into contact with the strip and thus no unnecessary time is lost in the operation of the mill. I provide all the aforementioned advantages in a machine 20 which may be conveniently and rapidly applied to a rolling mill already in service or to a mill when it is being constructed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts in the various views, I have shown for the purpose of illustration only a preferred embodiment of my invention. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, the section being taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2, looking toward the mill;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus along the line II-Jl'of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view along the line III-III of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section along the line .IV-IV of Figure 3.

In the drawings there is illustrated a strip guide for a rolling mill constructed in accordance with my invention and in operative position with 40 respect'to a rolling mill of a type suitable for strip or sheet rolling. The numerals. 3 and 4 designate the mill housings and the numerals 5 and 6 designate the working and backing-up rolls, respectively, (shown in chain lines) of a suitable mill herein illustrated as a l-hi'gh mill. In a mill of this type, the material to be rolled passes between the work rolls 5. It is, of course, understood that an entry guide made according to my invention may be used with any other type 59 of rolling mill and is not confined to what is commonly known as the 4-high rolling mill..

A platform or table I and a cooperating movable platen 8 are provided, the table and platen wide as the maximum 5 being made preferably as rolling width of the mill which is somewhat less than the actual distance between the inside portions of the mill housings. In order that the surface of the stock may not be injured by the guide as the stock is passing between the table I and the platen 8, the adjacent surfaces of the table and the platen are lined with a suitable material which will not scratch or mar the surface of the strip or sheet. I prefer to use a series of guide boards or wear strips 9, removably mounted on the top of the table I, and a series of guide boards or wear strips I8, removably mounted on the lower side of the platen 8. The guide boards are preferably made of wood, but it is, of course, understood that materials other than wood having desirable physicalcharacteristics may be used. The guide boards extend to a position closely adjacent the work rolls.

Each of the guide boards 9 has fastened thereto two sets of clips or holder plates II. and I2 secured, as for example by bolts, to the guide boards adjacent'the front end and adjacent the rear end, respectively. Inasmuch as the front end holder plates II are all alike and the rear end holder plates I2 are all alike, the structure will be described as if the guide boards or wear strips 9 and I8 were held by one holder plate at each end. It is of course understood that any desired number of holder plates may be secured to the guide boards, and for purposes of illustration two holder plates at the front of each guide board and two holder plates at the rear of the guide boards have, been shown.' The holder plate II has a base portion and a projecting portion I3 in which projecting portiona groove I4 is formed transversely of the longitudinal axis of the guide boards. pressed portion I5 of table top], which depression has a projecting tongue I6, which is so positioned and of such a size that it cooperates with" groove I4 to hold the front end of guide .board 9 in fixed position with reference to table 1. Holder plate II and the depression .I5 are so proportioned and shaped that the holder plate mayslide with reference to table top 1. The rear holder plate I2 is fastened, as for example, by bolts, adjacent the rear end of guide board 9. This holder plate has a projection I! in which a groove I8 runs transversely to the longitudinal axis of guide board 9. The table top I has a groove I9 in which a portion of the holder plate is received and a projecting tongue. 28, which is received in the groove I8 of holder plate I2. The holder plates II and I 2 are sopositioned on guide board 9 that when the guide boardis moved to the extremeleft position, shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the grooves I4 and I8 of holder plates II and I2, respectively,-

receive the projecting tongues I6 and 28 of table I. The guide boards 9 are retained in that po sition by the clamp 2|, which is secured by means of bolts 22 to table top I, and by the tongue-andgroove connection.

Each of the wear strips or guide boards I8 are secured, as for example by bolts, to holder plates 23 and 24 by which they are fastened to the lower side of platen 8. Holder plate 23 has a projecting portion 25 in which is a groove 26,

. formed transversely of the longitudinal axis of the guide board I8. Formed in the lower portion of platen 8 is a recess 21 in which the holder plate and projection 25 are received. Platen 8 has a tongue 28, which is received in the groove 26. Holder plate 23 and the recess- 21 in platen 8 are so proportioned as to allow the groove Holder plate II is received in a de- 26 of plate-23 to move into and out of engagement with tongue 28 of platen 8. The rear porerably somewhat shorter than the guide boards 9, is secured to holder plate 24. r This holder plate has a projecting portion 29 in which a groove 38 is formed transversely of the longitudinal axis of guide board I8. Holder plate 24 is received in a depression 3I toward the rear end of platen 8, which platen has a tongue 32, which is received in groove 38 of holder plate 24. The holder plates 23 and 24 are so positioned on wear strip I8 that when the strip is moved to the extreme left position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the grooves 26 and 38 of holder plates 23 and 24 receive the projecting tongues 28 and 32 of platen *8. The guide board I8 is secured in that posi- I tion of guide board I 8, which guide board is pref- 33, as the case may be,-and slipping the guide board rearwardly until the tongue-and-groove connections disengage. At the same time by, means of the type of connectionsI have described, the guide boards 9 and'l8 may be held securely in their respective operating positions. This is of advantage when the width of the strip to be rolled is changed, at which time certain of the guide bars 9 and I8 must be removed or added so that the width of the friction surfaces of the assembled guide boards are approximately the same width as the stock to be rolled.

The guide boards or wear strips I 8 are also retained in sidewise position by the clamping nut 35 which contacts the side of holder plate 23.

'When the width of the friction surfaces or guide boards of platen 8 is to be changed, the clamp 33 is removed and clamping nut 35 is loosened so as to disengage the side of holder plate 23.

- This is accomplished by turning screw 36 by necessary guide boards are then removed or added and the remaining boards secured as aforesaid. Similarly when it is desired to change the width of the table top, a desired number of guide boards 9 are taken from or added to it, as the case may be, and the space between the side wall 48 of table 1 and the side of guide board 9 is filled in with filler strips 4I Platen' 8 has connected thereto a linkage whereby it can be moved from the position shown in full lines in Figure 2 to the position shown in chain lines in Figure 2. Thevlinkage consists of two bell crank arms 42 and 43, pivotally mounted at 44 and 45 touprights and 41, and a connecting link 58. The lower end of each of bell crank arms 42 and 43 is secured to upright portions 48 and 49 of platen 8, the other end of each of these bell crank arms being connected by link. 58. The uprights 46 and 41- are so arranged as to fit closely between the housings 3 and 4 of the mill and are fastened to the lower portion or cage 52 bf the guide. An' adjustable stop 5| is secured to each of these uprights to control the downward limit of the travel of hell crank 43.

shown in full lines in Figure 2-to the elevated position shown in chain lines in Figure 2. When the platen 8 is in the elevated position, the workmen can easily insert the end of the strip between the working rolls and as soon as the strip is gripped by the working rolls, platen 8 is lowered by operation of the linkage and its associated control means to the position in contact with the top side of the strip.

The table 1 is mounted on-the cage member 52, which cage member is mounted on and supported by a truck 53. Secured to the under side of cage 52 are two members 54 and 55 having inclined surfaces which surfaces in turn, are received on inclined surfaces 56 and 51 of truck 53. The cage 52 also has a projecting portion 58 in which is received a nut 59, through which passes a screw member 60 which is rotatably mounted in brackets BI and 62 on truck 53. By operation of screw 60, the relative position of the inclined surfaces is changed and consequently the height of the top of the table, and thus the height of the pass line of the entry guide, may be adjusted. The truck 53 is mounted on two sets of wheels 63 and 84 which operate on a track 65. extending beyond the housing, so that the apparatus, as a whole, may be readily moved back or forth along the track from or into its operating position, as shown in Figure 2.

The housing cage 52 is secured in position relative to the mill housings 3 and 4 by means of a retaining flange 6B, which is bolted to the housings. When the apparatus is moved into the operating position shown in Figure 2, the retaining flange 66 is bolted to the mill housing and thus holds the apparatus securely in position. When the apparatus is to be moved away from the mill, the flange 66 is unbolted from the housing. 1

A cylinder 61 is secured in the housing or cage 52 by a swivel mounting 68. Received in cylinder 61 is a piston 69 which is connected by piston rod 10 to a lever H which is keyed to shaft 12 rotatably secured in the housing or cage 52? Keyed to shaft 12 are two lever arms 13 and 14, which lever arms are connected by links 15 and 16 to upright portions 48 and 49 of platen 8. Piston 69 is moved back and forth in the cylinder 61 by means of a fluid, preferably air, admitted through openings 11 from a supply source, not shown. It is understood, of course, that a suitable control valve will be placed in the line leading to ports 11 from the pressure supply source. Movement of piston 69 will cause the raising and lowering of platen 8 by means of the linkage heretofore described.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that by means of apparatus constructed according to my invention it is possible to readily thread the strip through the working rolls and to insure proper guidance of the strip to aposition very close to the working rolls. The height of the pass line can be conveniently ad'- justed. The device as a whole can be moved into and out of operating position with a minimum of effort and in a very short period of time; and the apparatus can be readily adjusted so that the friction surfacespresented to the strip being rolled can be of the proper width to take care of variations in thewidth of the strip. The full maximum rolling width of the mill can be uti lized and the guide boards can be readily replaced should the occasion arise. The apparatus is such as to make the mill equipment above the guide boards against 'guide boards on said wise movement and means pass line accessible for'adjustment and repair, and is very compact, thereby conserving space.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the same is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen movable away from and toward said table, guide boards on the platen, means for holding said guide boards against movement along their longitudinal axis and relative to the platen but permitting sidewise movement, and means for holding said sidewise movement.

2. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen for cooperation with the table, guide boards on said table,

platen, and means for holding said guide boards against movement along their longitudinal axis and relative to the table and to the platen, respectively, but permitting sidewise movement.

3. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen for cooperation with the table, guide boards on said table, guide boards on said platen, means for holding said guide boards against movement along their longitudinal axis and relative to the table and to the platen, respectively, but permitting sidefor holdingthe guide boards against sidewise movement.

4. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, guide boards on said table, and holder plates secured to said guide boards, said holder plates having a sliding tongueand-groove connection with the table which permits sidewise and endwise movement, means for securing the guide boards against movement along their longitudinal axis but permitting sidewise .movement, and means for holding said guide boards against sidewise movement.

5. In apparatus for guiding strips to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table for supporting the strip, a platen for cooperation with the table and movable away from and toward the table, a guide board on said table, a guide board on said platen, a truck for supporting the table and platen, means on the truck for moving the platen into and out of engagement with the table, and means between the truck and the table for raising and lowering the table and platen.

6. In apparatus for guiding strips to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table for supporting the strip, a platen for cooperation with the table, a guide board on said table, a guide board on said platen, said guide boards being adapted to engage the strip, a truck for supporting the table and platen, means on the truck for moving the platen into and out of engagement with the table, means between the truck and the table for raising and lowering the table, and means for moving the apparatus into and out of operating position relative to the mill.

'7. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table for supporting the strip, a platen movable into and out of strip engaging position, a cage member supporting the table, uprights connected to the cage, linkage connecting the uprights and the platen, and means for operating the linkage whereby the platen can be moved into .and out'of engagement with the strip and means for moving the cage member into and out of operating position relative to the mill.

8. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a cage member, a guide unit connected to said cage member and having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, said surfaces being movable toward and away from each other, means for effecting relative movement between said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, and means Within the unit for adjusting the guide unit vertically whereby the strip may be alined horizontally with the pass between the rolls and means for moving the cage member into and out of operating position relative to the mill.

9. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a guide unit having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, means for effecting relative movement between said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, means for adjusting the guide unit vertically whereby the strip may be alined horizontally with the pass between the rolls, and a movable truck onwhich the unit is carried and a trackway for the truck whereby it may be rolled into and out of position adjacent the rolls.

10. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a guide unit having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, means for effecting 'relativemovement between said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, each of said members having parallel surfaces comprised ofv boards the longitudinal axis of which extends in the direction of travel of the strip, means for releasably securing the parts to the respective members to permit the ready interchange thereof, and adjustable clamping means for holding a variable number of boards according to the width of the strip being rolled.

l1. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a guide unit having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, means for effecting relative movement between said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, each of said members having parallel surfaces comprised of boards the longitudinal'axis of which extends in the direction of travel of the strip, interlocking means on the boards and the respective members for securing the boards to the members and being engageable upon movement of the boards longitudinally in one direction and releasable upon longitudinal movement of the boards in the opposite direction,

and means for restraining the boards against longitudinal movement when the interlocking means are engaged but permitting sidewise movement of the boards.

12. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a guide unit having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, means for effecting "relative mov'ementfbetween said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, each of said members having parallel surfaces comprised of boards the longitudinal axis of which extends in the direction of travel of the strip, interlocking means on the boardsand the respective members for securing the boards to the members and being engageable upon movement of the boards longitudinally in one direction and releasable upon longitudinal strip material having rolls, of a guide unit hav-.-

ing opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, means-for effecting relative movement between said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, each of said members having parallel surfaces comprised of boards the longitudinal axis of which extends in the direction of travel of the strip, and means including a tongue and groove connection for releasably securing the boards to the respective members to permit the ready interchange thereof.

14. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a guide unit having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, means for effecting relative movement between said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, each of said members having parallel surfaces comprised of boards the longitudinal axis of which extends in the direction of travel of the strip, means including a tongue and groove connection for releasably securing the boards to the respective members to permit the ready interchange thereof, and means for holding a variable number of boards according to the width of the strip being rolled.

15. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a guide unit having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engagingthe strip material, means for effecting relative movement between said members to bring them into and move them apart from a strip-engaging position, each of said members having parallel surfaces comprised of boards the longitudinal axis of which extends in the direction of travel of the strip, interlocking means on the boards and the respective members for securing the boards to the members and being, engageable upon movement of" the boards longitudinally in one direction and releasable upon longitudinal movement of the boards in the opposite direction, and means for restraining the boards against longitudinal movement when the interlocking means are engaged.

'16. The combination with a rolling mill for strip material having rolls, of a guide unit having opposed members presenting parallel surfaces for engaging the strip material, means for effecting relative movement between said members to bring them intoand move them apart from a strip-engaging position, each of said being engageable upon movement of the'boards longitudinally in one direction and releasable 7 upon longitudinal movement of the boards in the opposite direction, means for restraining the boards against longitudinal movement when the interlocking means are engaged, and means for pressing theboards together transversely of their Zength. I

17. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen arranged for cooperating with the table and movable towards and away from said table, guide boards on the table, and holder plates secured to said guide boards, said holder plates having a sliding tongue and groove connection with the table which permits sidewise and endwise movement of the boards. n

18. In apparatus for-guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen arranged for cooperating with the table and movable away from and toward the table, guide boards on said table and secured thereto by holder plates secured to the guide boards, said holder plates having a sliding tongue and groove connection with the table which permits sidewise and endwise movement of the boards relative to the table.

19. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen arranged for cooperating with the table, guide boards secured to said platen, holder plates secured to the guide boards, said holder plates having a, sliding tongue and groove connection with the platen which permits movement of the guide boards longitudinally and transversely of the platen and means for preventing sidewise movement of the boards relative to the platen.

20. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen for cooperation with the table and movable toward and away from the table, guide boards, and holder plates secured to the guide boards, said holder plates having a sliding tongue and groove connection with the platen permitting sidewise and endwise movement of the plates and boards relative to the platen and means for holding the guide boards against sidewise movement relative to the platen.

21. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, a platen movable relative to the table, means for supporting the platen above the table, a guide board on said table over which the strip passes, a guide board on said platen, means for moving said platen into and out of position such that the guide board thereon will engage and guide strip material moving over the guide board on the table, means for adjusting the table and platen supporting means vertically, and means for moving said apparatus into and out of operating position relative to the mill.

22. In apparatus for guiding strip to the work rolls of a rolling mill, a table, guide boards on said table, means including a clamp for holding said guide boards against movement along their longitudinal axes and relative to the table, means including a clamp holding said guide boards against sidewise movement, said means permitting said guide boards to be moved longitudie nally and transversely relative to the table when both said clamps are loosened.

C ENCE J. KLEIN. 

